‘Genuinely professionally helpful’
So wrote a clergyman in a recent ‘Church Times’ article, describing a lecture on bells and change ringing. The lecture was ‘supremely interesting’, and he felt the content ought to be included in ministerial training. Until then, his only experience of ringers was “blithely wandering into the ringing chamber while the ringers were about their business. It is not a mistake a cleric makes twice.”
So, ringers and ringing remained for him, as for many clergy, a closed mystery. Finally discovering what is really going on was a revelation, as I guess it will be for many clergy. Ringers are often out of sight and make little real effort to engage with the local clergy or church leaders. It is not surprising then that clergy remain ignorant, uninterested even antagonistic, about ringing and ringers.
However, there is no need for them to correct this by attending lectures, as there is an excellent and readable booklet designed for ringers to give to their local ministers. The Voice of the Church sets out the significance of bells and bellringing in an accessible and readable way. It is written by clergy for clergy, spelling out clearly an understanding of mission and ministry.
One reader stated it is “a brilliant view of why we ring… it should be given to all incumbents”. The aim of the book is exactly that – that ringers give this to their local clergy and ensure they at least look through it! Perhaps an invitation to the ringing chamber (with a welcome!) would engage further interest and support. We have to win clergy friendship, not expect them to reach out to us.
The book is available from the Ringing World shop online, price £7.00. Copies were sent to clergy training centres, so available there.
There is no need for clergy to remain ignorant or fearful of ringers and ringing, nor ‘its profound and lasting impact on the public soundscape’ (as stated by the lead Bishop for church buildings) – it’s all in The Voice of the Church.David Grimwood